@achyutram, made, always made. I used to think they were born, but the more I talked to artists about it trying to find the answer, the more they answered “made.” I really wish there was more of an effort to stress this in my youth.

Have you ever read the journal of Kurt Cobain? Everyone says that he was just talented, but if you read his journal you’ll see that he listened to lots of music, frequently went to shows and really thought about what he liked in the music he heard there, practiced his guitar for 5 hours a day, even measured his progress a little bit, and grew up all his life around people who also played music. He was a product of his environment. That’s how you get good at something……..get influences, practice, and measure your progress towards the desired outcome.

Artists are both born and made. Some just born, some just made and some both the one and the other. I also believe all people have an inner artist and originality, but the way we are brought up robs us of our unique qualities.

Anyone can be great at anything if they put in the time to practice. There is something special about the truly phenomenal artists that most people don’t have. The only way to find out about yourself though is too put in the time practicing.

just because you are born with the ability to draw or dance doesnt make you an artist.
only you can really define that for yourself.
we all disagree about what is art.
i would say being an artist is a state of mind more than anything.

Both, more made, I’d say. Some people are born with that extra bit of spark or flare but whether or not they channel that into something productive is up to them. Some aren’t as lucky so they have to hone their skills. For instance, Mozart & Beethoven. Two of the most popular classical composers. Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was 8 or something, he was just a wildly natural talent. Beethoven on the other hand was not born with such a gift but he honed his skills and learned his craft to create music of equal beauty. All artists, though, put in an abundance of work, whether they are naturally talented or not. Anyone can be an artist, it is up to that person, if they get up in the morning and say I’m going to write or or compose or create something for people to think about and actually follow through, then they are an artist.

I’ve practiced art since I was 4, some people tell me I’ve got talent. But I’ve seen some people just turn to art out of nowhere and do it brilliantly, you could be a scientist or whatever and somehow end up working as an artist. And there are many different kinds of art, for many different uses.

i think everyone is born creative/ artistic, but somewhere along our lives we become so domesticted, that we forget we are artist. creativity is born from experimentation. domestication of the mind, most of the time, depending on who or what has domesticated, will cease the kid inside you from doing all the crazzy shit that makes art, art.

but i do think some famous artist fit the role of which they act upon, perfectly!!!

@achyutram, I think everyone is born with passion, it just has to develop a focus, that occurs over time with experience, development of a value system and how that gravitates a person toward any given field.

@nowscreamlouder, definitely. i’ve had problems with laziness, confidence, and focus for most of my life. but in my youth, at least it seemed to me that there was still strong belief in dichotomies between “talented” vs “untalented”, “smart” vs “average” people. I think mine was probably the last generation to grow up with that (or maybe its just my interpretation), because more and more psychological articles are coming out these days saying that basically, there’s no need to fuss over a perceived “lack of talent” because really it’s all about hard work.

I think passion is probably the primary ingredient in art (that and emotional expression) and I believe a person throwing shit at a wall with passion is more art than someone who creates something on the level of the Sistine Chapel without passion. Regardless of your skill set, if their is not passion it is just hard work, going through the motions without contributing any of the being that makes you so vital.

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Kidd(1,058)just a Kidd. If you want to know more, fee...(@kidd)4 years, 8 months ago ago

Artists are born. Great artists are made.

Or maybe it’s the other way around. I’m not sure. But there’s definitely something there that separates the mediocre of art (such as me: I’m an average artist, I suppose) from the elite.

I think artists are made. They’ve had some kind of heart ship in their life which sets them on a journey of seeking truth and knowledge which they express through their own medium and we call it art. Either that or their parents were artists and taught them that life was about learning, seeking and creating. They’re just people who because of their pain decided that there must be more to life and went out to look for it. Once you’ve realized this phenomena you start to notice the same message being channeled through different art forms, it’s obviously going to be different from different time periods and classes but it all has to do with the human struggle.

@cristinelizabeth, totally. personal life aside, i think he was definitely an example of passion, hard work, and dreams coming to fruition. His journal was a fantastic read and a great insight into the creative process.

I believe that humans are inertly artists. Since primitive man we have created music in ceremonies and left cave drawings for future generations to find. For thousands of years we have been societies based on storytelling, crafting, and ingenuity. However, our society has evolved into one that does not openly encourage creativity. Creative minds are a threat to established social norms and powers. Thinking outside the box, in most countries, is greatly frowned upon. Here in the US we have the unique ability to say/practice/believe what we want. I do believe that where you come from greatly effects who you become. That being said I also believe you aren’t just “born” an artist.

I believe that some people are born with a tendency to be more right-brained. This in turn nurtures creativity and passion. I think that art comes from a desire to express the intangible. Because words are just dead symbols, us humans have a desire to connect on a deeper, more spiritual level. Art is born from a natural desire to communicate the abstract and intangible. I think that a lot of art is inspired by other artists. Nurturing creativity, encouraging individuality, and striving to understand things or ideas that we are ignorant of… I believe that is the true source, and purpose, of art.